Donorojo Leprosy Hospital / Leprosy Colony (2003)
Brief history of Donorojo hospital and settlement
Brief history of Donorojo hospital and settlement
Donorojo hospital was erected in this area situated 15 km away from Kelet hospital. Donorojo means “Dana dari Raja” Donation from King (Queen). They built housing surrounding the hospital for leprosy patients including a church. This compound then called Leprosarium. It was stated in 1942 that the doctors had been working here i.e. Dr. Bervoets, Dr K.P.C.A Gramberg with their assistance Van Rijn Pochet, F.C. Housdens.
In I942 the National Leprosy Control headed by Dr J.B Sitanala. Dr Sitanala instructed that the Donorojo Leprosarium to be attached to the Kelet General Hospital. Since this time the Kelet general hospital catered for both leprosy patients and general diseases, headed by Dr G.H Rehatta. In 1950 Kelet hospital had be come completely specialized for leprosy patients where all leprosy patients from Plantungan were admitted to the hospital. In 1950 Dr Aminudin headed the Kelet and Donorojo hospital. During his tenure, the settlement was developed for rehabilitation. Dr Aminudin was replaced by Jochanan Kartoatmojo (1971).
Since 1970 the Kelet and Donorojo hospital belong to the Provincial Health Office under supervision of Tugurejo Leprosy Hospital Semarang. From 1976 – 1978 Dr Ingga Wijayanti was the director of Kelet and Donorojo hospital.
Present situation (2003)
In reality the compound consists of a hospital and settlement surrounding the hospital. The hospital caters only for leprosy patients, has 75 beds. The current function of the hospital seems to be elderly ex-leprosy housing; a clinic and temporarily admission for patients come from settlements surrounding the hospital. There are 4 leprosy villages (settlements) surrounding the hospital i.e. Plang Gundul, Sumber Tiga, Kali Semut and Liposospaca with total area land of 179 hectares.
The hospital:
There 13 couples with their children are staying in the modified wards, and 37 males and 25 female in a separately wards. From our observation, there is no medical indication for their hospitalization. Very few clinic activities and according to staff, some equipments have been taken by Tugurejo hospital. Health care and all facilities are given free of charge to the leprosy patients. The hospital is financed by the province government through Tugurejo hospital within the package of Kelet Hospital. The hospital provides daily meals for the patients.
The leper colony (settlement):Total population in the settlements (Plang Gundul, Sumber Tiga, Kali Semut and Liposospaca) is 370 people consist of 231 ex-leprosy patients and 139 healthy people. Therefore total inhabitants are 370 where the proportion of ex-leprosy patients is 62%. 120 couples ex-leprosy patients with their healthy children and the not married ex-leprosy patients. There is no any subsidy from the government. They can earn a living by cultivating the land provided by the government such as agriculture, chicken breeding, poultry, etc. Their children have scholarships from donors.
Healthy people also live in the surrounding settlements at the land belongs to the settlement; they are the hospital staffs and from general population. They are neighboring with clear border with the ex-leprosy patients villages. We could not find a record regarding the exact total number of healthy people.
